Field Hockey Returns to Vonnie Gros to Kick Off Seven Game Homestand Tuesdsay Night

WEST CHESTER, PA - Two familiar rivals get together for a non-conference affair under the lights in prime time when No. 7 West Chester University welcomes No. 4 Shippensburg to Vonnie Gros Field for its 2025 home opener at 7 p.m.

SHIPPENSBURG vs. WEST CHESTER
Date: Tuesday – 7 p.m.
Location: West Chester, Pa.
Venue: Vonnie Gros Field
Video: PSAC Digital Network LINK
Live Stats: LINK
All-Time Series: Shippensburg, 17-11
Golden Rams in Prime Time: 32-9 (since reclassifying to Division II in 2011)

WATCH ON YOUR TV - "PSAC SPORTS DIGITAL NETWORK" APPS
Fans can watch West Chester's games live and on-demand for free on the PSAC Sports Digital Network, produced by the Sports Fan Base Network (SFBN). Search for the PSAC Sports Digital Network in the app stores on Amazon Fire TV, Apple RV, Roku and Android TV devices.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN RAMS
West Chester is coming off a pair of season opening wins on the road in Massachusetts over a pair of Northeast-10 opponents in No. 5 Assumption and Bentley. West Chester has outscored its two opponents, 6-2, in the opening weekend with four different goal scorers penciling in their names on the scoresheet. Three of those four scorers scored their first college goals while two of them enjoyed a multi-goal game.
 
Youth will be served on this year's Golden Rams' squad that lost almost 70 percent of its offense from a year ago. Alexa Lehman leads the team with a pair of goals and five points through two games. Meanwhile, Sofia Brown logged a two-goal effort on Sunday from her midfield position. Both scoring leaders notched their first career goals over the weekend.
 
SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
A new head coach walks Shippensburg's sideline this fall. However, she is NOT new to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Rayell Wallace spent the last five years as head coach at Slippery Rock, before taking over the reigns at Shippensburg this summer. Expectations remain high despite offseason changes. The Raiders are the reigning Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champions and will be seeking to extend their streak of NCAA Tournament appearances to five-in-a-row.
 
Shippensburg enters the 2025 season with 16 returners from the 2024 fall roster. Among the six newcomers are a pair of transfers: redshirt-freshman Tess Naylor, who joined the team in the spring, and redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Gabby Gober, who came aboard this fall.
 
WCU CELEBRATES ITS FOUR AIAW NATIONAL CHAMPS SATURDAY
West Chester University will welcome back to campus members of its four consecutive AIAW national championship teams from the mid 1970s. Some of the most prolific field hockey players to set foot on the pitch will join their former head coach, Vonnie Gros, in a celebration of the unprecedented run atop the world of college field hockey. Some of the members will be on hand for a presentation during the Golden Rams' game with Saint Anselm at 1 p.m. Vonnie Gros is expected to make an appearance at the reception for the four teams later that afternoon on North Campus.
 
WCU FIELD HOCKEY A FAMILY AFFAIR
West Chester University has always prided itself on being one big happy family. This year's roster is an example of that as freshman Lily Coombs has joined her older sister, Emma, at West Chester. The two midfielders play up top in head coach Amy Cohen's system.
 
UP NEXT
West Chester remains home as Tuesday marks the beginning of a seven-game homestand for the Golden Rams that will see them welcome the defending national champions, Saint Anselm, on Saturday at 1 p.m.